


After Life

by malurette



Category: Nation - Terry Pratchett
Genre: Dolphins, Flash Fic, Gen, Short One Shot, Wakes & Funerals, do i have to tag for canon character death?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 06:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19941937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malurette/pseuds/malurette
Summary: Mau's people believed the dead became dolphins. As far as Daphne was concerned, that was freeing.





	After Life

**Author's Note:**

> **Title:** After Life  
>  **Author:** ylg/malurette  
>  **Fandom:** Nation  
>  **Character:** Daphne  
>  **Rating:** PG / K+  
>  **Disclaimer:** Terry Pratchett's memory
> 
>  **Author’s note:** ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot any mistakes please do correct me.
> 
>  **Prompt:** last year's boxing day, putting people into coffins instead of unwrapping gifts  
> (RIP sir pterry)  
>  **Word count:** ~300

She was christened Ermintrude when she was born, she was first known by Mau as the Ghost Girl on that far off island where her life changed forever, she ruled as Queen Daphne. All her life she endeavoured to make the world—what was left of it after the great epidemic—a better place. She knew that chiefs had a duty to their people and that it came before anything else.  
She only relinquished the power when she felt she could safely pass it to a worthy successor and then, as her one and only request, she asked she would not be buried in her ancestors' land, but taken back to this island she had once loved. The nation here was not her nation, but their people were brothers and she had left a piece of her heart there. 

She had stopped believing in any afterlife long ago, be it fluffy clouds or swimming dolphins. Rituals were for the ones left behind... and she knew all too much how uncomforting the ones of her people had been at the worst time of her life because it made separation even worse. She witnessed how, at the worst time of Mau's life, his ritual kept him going. Years, decades later, she still thought that it would fit her better.  
She did not think she would come back as a dolphin. She did not think she would be reunited with Mau for another life. His life was over, her would be soon. She wouldn't know what they would do of her body, couldn't be sure that they would grant it; still, she hoped that they would respect her will for a dolphin funeral. 

They did.


End file.
